United Provinces

The United Provinces begins the grand campaign in a unique position with minor holdings in all three theaters. To complicate matters further their victory conditions contain additional regions in all three theaters with most beginning the game controlled by the three major powers: Spain, France, and Great Britain. To accomplish this you will need to carefully make use of diplomacy, try to sign sequence your conquests and make peace with the major powers after you have all the regions you need from them. As you make your move on India pacifying the local population will be very important, be prepared to build a large number of churches.

During the first turn you can and should go to war with two nearby regions. You should be able to seize Flanders with your forces in Europe and French Guyana in South America. To complete your victory conditions you will need a single large land army in each of the theaters. If you do manage to seize Flanders during the first turn or shortly after your army in Europe will be serving mainly a defensive role. You will need to start recruiting troops for these armies early so start on the first turn by recruiting in your American colonies. The single best initial technology for United Provinces is Plug Bayonet.

The single most important early acquisition for United Provinces is Flanders. This region will remove some of the threat of a land war in Europe with Spain when you are moving against their holdings in the Americas. Flanders is also a very defendable region for repelling French invasion, which is quite likely. Other than Flanders it is important to move on French Guyana early. If you are successful this region will help you defend your holding in Dutch Guyana as the AI rarely will land troops with a navy to attack you there, though they would land them in their own port and march from the neighboring territory.